"I have offended her, and I am very sincerely sorry for that."
Those were the words of West Lincoln Mayor Dave Bylsma who at a Thursday evening regional council meeting apologized for sending a private message to a Niagara woman, asking her if getting the COVID-19 vaccine affected her menstrual cycle.
"You gave me a mandate to represent you well, and I have failed to do that."
The message caused a public outcry after a screenshot was shared online, prompting Niagara region's chair Jim Bradley to issue a statement condemining Bylsma's conduct.
It was at the start of the Thursday night meeting that Bylsma issued the public apology to the woman, that he says he sometimes engages in discussion with in other matters. He said he had also reached out to her personally to offer his apology.
Also directing his apology to the entire Niagara region, as well as his fellow councillors, Bylsma said he had 'embarassed' his fellow councillors, adding he was sorry for causing the ordeal, that he said was a result of fatigue.
"I am zealous and my passion to advocate for small business, mental health and social health, opening churches and social clubs... and women's health. It has made me tired and fatigued, and in that fatigue I acted poorly and lacked judgement, and I have disqualified myself," said Bylsma, but did not specify from what.
In his hometown of West Lincoln, however, his own city council members stripped him from his council appointments over the correspondence.
It is the second time in months that Dave Bylsma finds himself in hot water.
Earlier in March, Bylsma participated in a anti-mask rally in St Catharines, where he spoke to a tightly packed unmasked crowd at the rally, that featured conspiracy theories and misinformation about the pandemic.
His attendance resulted in Bylsma being issued a court summons, as well as having his name removed from all of the city's communications relating to the pandemic.
